murmurSagami Giant Kite Festival
Sagamihara City · Sagami River banks in the Araiso area (four sites: Shindo, Katsusaka, Shimoisobe and Kamiisobe)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Sagamihara Tourism Association · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- May 4–5, 2026 （Ended） 10:00–16:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early May
- How the date is set
- Changes from year to year Dates are announced each year; flying depends on the wind
- Venue
- Sagami River banks in the Araiso area (four sites: Shindo, Katsusaka, Shimoisobe and Kamiisobe)
- City
- Sagamihara City, Kanagawa
About
During Golden Week, enormous kites are flown from the banks of the Sagami River in the Araiso area of Sagamihara, at 4 sites: Shindo, Katsusaka, Shimo-Isobe and Kami-Isobe. The star is the Shindo kite, 14.5 meters on each side and about 950 kg, said to be the largest kite in Japan that is flown every year. Each kite carries a title picked by public contest; in 2026 it was Honokaze. Everything is done by hand, from cutting the bamboo to assembling the frame, and the paper is handmade washi in the tradition of Hosokawa paper. The custom dates to the Tenpo era, around 1830, and is kept by a preservation society of the 4 districts. Whether the kites go up depends on the wind that day. Not to be confused with the giant kite festival in Zama.
Sources
- OfficialSagamihara Tourism Association www.e-sagamihara.com
- OfficialKanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association www.kanagawa-kankou.or.jp
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.